A Spell Of Trouble (Silver Hollow Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series Book 1)

by Leighann Dobbs

  All the bluster seemed to leave the other witch, and her shoulders sagged. She crossed her arms and pulled her black cardigan tighter around her. “I’m sure you’ve heard the rumors about me.”

  “That you’re evil?” Ember said before Raine elbowed her in the ribs. “What?”

  “Let’s sit down,” Issy said, taking Karen by the elbow and guiding her to a delicate-looking parlor chair covered in needlepoint rose chintz. “We’re not here to judge you, Karen. We’re just here to find out the truth.”

  The three cousins took a seat on the sofa across from her and waited.

  “I did get caught.” Karen stared down at her hands in her lap, their long red nails glowing in the lamplight. “Doing dark magic. But it was just the one time, I swear, and I wasn’t going to do anything really bad, and now I’m ashamed that I even did it at all.”

  “Is that why there’s a cage around your cat?” Raine asked.

  “Yes. They have me and Cynster under house arrest.”

  The despair in her voice made Issy’s heart pinch. Locking a witch’s familiar away and stripping her magical powers even for a short time was unthinkable. Poor thing. “How long is your sentence?”

  “We have another month to go before the committee has me on probation for three months. At least then I’ll be able to come and go as I please and practice minor magic. Right now, all my movements are monitored, and I’m only allowed to go to town for supplies, groceries, and appointments.” She held up one ankle to show off a thick silver chain. Every few seconds, the metal would glow white-hot before blipping back to normal steel color again. Karen lowered her skirt and met Issy’s eyes for the first time since they’d entered the house.

  “Wow! I’ve never met a magical criminal before,” Ember said.

  “She’s not a criminal,” Issy said, surprising herself. Fifteen minutes ago, she’d been scared senseless about coming in here, and now she was defending Karen. Odd, but deep inside, it felt right. Karen wasn’t a threat to them. Not for the time being, anyway. “She made some bad decisions, that’s all.”

  “So you’re reformed?” Ember said, her expression filled with curiosity.

  “I hope so.” Karen said, tucking a stray hank of black hair behind her ear. “When all of this is over, I’d like to open up a juicing bar in town. Maybe sell healthy juices, smoothies, and teas that are charmed to improve whatever ailments the patrons might have. If I can get the committee’s approval and the town council will zone it, of course.”

  “I think that sounds like a great idea,” Issy said, giving her a small smile.

  “Did you kill Louella Drummond?” Raine asked, her gaze narrowed and her arms crossed.

  “Raine!” Issy said.

  “What? That is why we’re here, isn’t it?”

  “No, I would never kill anyone. That goes against everything witches stand for and everything I believe in,” Karen said, sincerity filling her onyx eyes. “I have been looking into it, though.”

  “So have we,” Raine said, her posture still stiff. “And the FBPI.”

  “Yes, I’ve seen those agents around town. I don’t like strangers poking into our business. And that one man, the ferret-looking one?” Karen shuddered. “He scares me.”

  “Us too,” Ember said, nodding. “He’s a fanatic where paranormals are concerned.”

  “That’s why we’ve been looking into the murder ourselves,” Issy added. “Since he seems to be hunting for paranormal suspects in particular, we figured if we discovered the identity of the real killer, we could get him out of here quicker and keep our secrets hidden.”

  “Blessed be, yes!” Karen said. “Plus, I figured if I found the true killer and turned them in to the committee, then they might quit focusing on me and knock me off their radar. After all, no one died from what I did. That murder makes me look like an angel in comparison.” She straightened her sweater and glanced up at her guests. “Okay, maybe not an angel. A pixie, perhaps. But still. Definitely not a murderer.”

  “What about the appointment book?” Ember whispered to Issy.

  “Oh, right.” Issy nodded. “We saw Louella’s appointment book at the planning office yesterday, and her last appointment before her death said only that it was with someone she identified as ‘K.’ Was that you?”

  Karen exhaled and frowned. “Yes. It was with me. We belong to the reptile society together. Louella had called me all excited and said she discovered something amazing out in the woods.”

  “Did she tell you what?”

  “No. I waited for an hour for her, but she never showed up. She had mentioned wanting to get some pictures of whatever she found before she came here, to make sure I believed her. I was worried when she didn’t show up, but Louella could be flighty sometimes when it came to lizards, so I just assumed she’d gotten wrapped up in her research or something. Then the next day, when she ended up dead…” Karen’s voice trailed off, and she shook her head, her expression sad. “She was my friend, and no matter what she found, she didn’t deserve to die like that. No one does.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Ember said, reaching across to pat Karen’s hand.

  “Me too,” Issy said.

  “What about the shut-up spell? What do you know about that?” Raine asked, her tone gentler. “And I’m sorry for your loss too.”

  “Thanks.” Karen sniffled then pushed to her feet and walked over to a nearby bookshelf. She pulled down an ornately bound book then resumed her seat as she flipped through the dusty, yellowed parchment pages. “That spell is dark magic, and it takes a powerful witch to invoke, especially remotely. And here it says they’d need a lock of Louella’s hair or some of her fingernail clippings, an animal tongue, lemon, salt, and pepper.”

  The cousins passed the grimoire around then back to Karen.

  “Who do you think would be capable of doing that to Louella?” Issy asked after Karen had returned the book to the shelf. “It couldn’t have been Hans Geller. He’s not paranormal.”

  “Hans Geller? Why would he even be involved?” Karen asked.

  Issy glanced over at Raine, who nodded, before sharing what they knew. “We know what Louella found out in the woods.”

  “What?”

  “A rare breed of purple salamander. Highly prized for their magical properties. If word got out that the woods were a natural habitat for them, then the land would be barred from any future development. We initially suspected Hans of killing Louella because he’d had a pending land deal on the table with the Vonners. But we went and talked to him right after the murder, and there wasn’t a trace of magical ability in him at all.”

  “Huh. Wow. Well, I guess that makes sense,” Karen said. “There are plenty of others around here, though, that could’ve helped him. He’s rich and could pay a lot of money to someone who needed it. Maybe enough to turn them to black magic.”

  “Maybe,” Issy said.

  “You mentioned the Vonners,” Karen continued. “I saw them, the dad and the son, leaving Hans’s place the day after Louella died. I had a weekly check-in appointment with the committee that day—that’s why I was in town.”

  Issy nodded. And that explained why she’d seen Karen’s red sports car that day too. Her trust of Karen rose a tad more. “Ember and I went out and spoke with Fred Vonner, but he said he never wanted the strip mall.” She frowned. “But maybe Hans is still trying to push him, making him an offer he couldn’t refuse.”

  “Why would he, though?” Raine said. “If he knows now the rezoning would never go through. Everyone in town has heard about those purple salamanders by now. Vonner’s land would be useless to him. Doesn’t make any sense.”

  “We need to get Mortimer,” Issy said, looking over at her cousin and pushing to her feet.

  “Yep.” Raine nodded and stood beside her. “Definitely need to get Mortimer.”

  “Who’s Mortimer?” Karen asked, waiting while Ember stood then following them all back to the front door.

  “My familiar,”
Raine said. “He’s a Venus flytrap and makes an excellent spy.”

  “Cool.” Karen held the door for them. “I have to say, I wasn’t sure about you ladies, but I’m glad we got to know each other better.”

  “Us too,” Issy said, squinting as sunlight broke through the clouds above. “We’ll talk again, Karen.”

  They waved then headed back to Brown Betty.

  “So,” Issy said as she climbed into the driver’s seat. “I really need to get back to my shop. My assistant’s due for her lunch hour soon.”

  “Yeah, me too,” Ember said. “Raine, can you grab Morty yourself, or would you like one of us with you?”

  “Considering everything that’s happened, I really don’t want to be alone in Hans Geller’s office. We could go later, if one of you is available.”

  “I can do later. Hannah has class, but it won't hurt to close the shop around three. I barely get any customers at that time,” Issy said. She started the engine then made a neat three-point turn in the road to head back into town. “How about I pick you up around two?”

  18

  But Issy didn’t get to pick Raine up at two because just as she flipped the sign in her door to Closed, the doorway was blocked by the hulking figures of the FBPI, their bodies casting murky shadows into her store.

  Stan pushed his way inside. He nodded to Issy, scanning the shop from behind his aviator shades. He slipped them off, and Issy noticed his beady eyes were a dark-brown color.

  She glanced across the street into the hair salon to find Gray looking out at her. His left brow ticked up, concern masking his features. She shook her head to indicate she didn’t need his help. She could handle these guys on her own.

  “Nice shop you have here.” Stan’s eyes drifted toward the back, and Issy knew he was probably looking for the solstice toads. He wouldn’t find them—the monochrome charm was still in effect, and no one would be able to see their true colors.

  “Thanks.” Issy’s eyes slid from Stan to Dex. Her cheeks heated, awkward memories of their kiss crowding her mind. She cleared her throat. “Are you guys looking for a pet?”

  “Hardly,” Stan said. “We have some questions we’d like to ask you.”

  He strolled casually down the main aisle, looking in at a cage of bunnies then swiveling his head to inspect the vibrant colors of the fish in a saltwater-fish tank. Brimstone sat on a shelf above the tank. He looked down at Stan and hissed.

  Stan jerked back, looked up, and scowled. “Nasty cat.”

  Brimstone narrowed his eyes into slits, his paw snaking out as if to bat at Stan. Issy shook her head slightly, and Brimstone reluctantly withdrew his paw. Then he stood up, stretched, and turned his back to them, curling up in a tight ball.

  “Did you want to ask me questions about Louella’s death?” Issy asked. “Am I a suspect?”

  Stan shrugged. “Well, there are some leads that point to you, and—”

  “You’re not a suspect,” Dex cut in.

  Stan turned his scowl on Dex.

  Dex shrugged. “She’s not.”

  “Not yet.” Stan pinned Dex with a look then strolled toward the back, now looking into the frog tank. Issy held her breath, terrified that he had some kind of secret power enabling him to see through the monochrome spell and notice that the frogs were blue. He didn’t. He simply gazed into the tank then turned and started walking back toward the front of the shop.

  Issy’s phone made a doorbell noise, and everyone’s eyes flicked to her purse.

  “Who’s that?” Apparently Stan was rude as well as annoying.

  Issy looked at the display. It was Raine wanting to know if she was ready to go to pick up Mortimer. Issy texted her back.

  Negatory. FBI here. She purposely left the "P" out just in case one of them looked at her phone. It was safest to still play along that they were the normal FBI sent to investigate Louella's death.

  “It’s my cousin. We had plans for lunch. But I guess now I won’t be going.”

  “Kind of late for lunch. Where were you going?” Stan seemed suspicious.

  “We eat after the lunch rush when customer traffic is light. Probably one of the cafes or something.” Why did she feel the need to justify herself to him?

  “Not out to hide evidence or do something with one of those jack-in-the-pulpit plants? We know one was dug up from where your cousin planted it.” Apparently finished with his tour of the shop, Stan walked slowly toward Issy.

  Issy crossed her arms over her chest. “Now why would we have to dig up a jack-in-the-pulpit plant? If I wanted one, I could simply get one from my cousin.”

  Stan narrowed his eyes. “You and your cousins are tight, aren’t you? Which makes me wonder what lengths you would go to protect each other.”

  “We’d do anything for each other. But if you’re implying we’d cover up a murder, none of us would have to, because none of us would kill someone.”

  “Not even for rare purple spotted salamanders?” Stan asked.

  Issy glanced at Dex. Had he told Stan that he’d seen her in the woods with the salamanders? Maybe kissing her was all part of their plan to catch a paranormal.

  But it didn’t appear as if Dex had told Stan. He was nonchalantly petting a kitten in the playpen. The gray striped tiger purred loudly and looked up at Dex adoringly.

  Dex didn’t seem to be taking this “interrogation” as seriously as Stan. Maybe he wasn’t as gung-ho as his partner. That earned him some points.

  “What would I want with a purple spotted salamander?”

  “I would think someone with a pet store could get a hefty price for them, and they are useful for… other things as well.” Stan’s eyes drilled into hers as if he was willing her to admit she might have other uses for the salamanders. Did he think she was stupid? He couldn’t trip her up that easily. But the way he was acting tipped her off to the fact that he wasn’t sure she was paranormal.

  “What other things? I don’t know what you mean.”

  Stan stepped closer to her, crowding her space and making her uncomfortable. “Rare salamanders would probably get a pretty good price in the underground market.”

  “There’s an underground market? I don’t know about it. It would be against the law for me to sell them, so I’m not interested in them.” Issy racked her brain for excuses as to why she’d been out in the woods just in case Dex had told Stan. If he had, she was sure Stan would launch into an interrogation about that next.

  But he didn’t. Instead he switched tactics. “Really? What about the purple horn-back toads Louella thought you had here?”

  Issy waved her hand toward the back of the shop. “As you saw for yourself, I don’t have any purple horn-back toads. Louella was mistaken.” It was actually the truth—she didn’t have any purple horn-backs. Louella had been mistaken about that, because the toads were solstice toads. Either way, they looked like regular toads to everyone but Issy.

  “Well, someone wanted to shut Louella up, and it seems you had means, motive, and opportunity.” Stan was looming over her now, but Issy refused to be intimidated.

  “I wouldn’t kill someone just because they made a false accusation about my shop.” Her voice was shaky.

  “She didn’t just accuse you—she accused your cousin, and earlier you said you and your cousins would do anything for each other.” Stan was so close she could smell the sour tuna fish on his breath. She tried to take a step back, but the counter was in her way.

  Dex appeared next to them, nudging Stan back a little. “Hey, I don’t think you need to get in her face about that. It’s kind of intimidating, buddy.”

  Dex was smiling, but Issy could see in his eyes that he meant business. Which totally confused her. Had he just come to her rescue? She felt relief, maybe even gratefulness. For one second before her hackles were raised. She didn’t need someone to come to her rescue.

  “I told you. None of us killed Louella. And I doubt you have any evidence to that fact, or you would’ve already taken one
of us in.” Issy’s stomach churned at the thought of being “taken in.” The FBPI wouldn’t “take her in” like regular law enforcement. They would cart her away to area 59. And who knows what they would do to her there.

  Stan scowled at Dex’s intrusion, but seeing as Dex was a lot bigger, he didn’t argue with him. He backed off, glancing around the shop again. “You must spend a lot on food to feed all the animals you have.”

  The change in subject threw Issy off guard. “Sure, but it’s part of the business.”

  “And you probably have to source all kinds of food. Kibble for the cats, flakes for the fish, crickets for the reptiles.” Stan leaned toward her again. “And possibly various organs like maybe brains or tongues to feed some of your more exotic animals.”

  Issy made a face. Brains and tongues? Gross. She didn’t feed any of her animals that. What in the world was Stan getting at? Then she realized he’d probably heard brains and tongues and other organs could be used for spells. Not to mention the newts and toads, which explained why he spent so long lingering over their tanks. She wasn’t going to fall for that. “I don’t feed organs to any of my animals. That’s gross. It’s mostly processed foods and, like you said, crickets.”

  Stan rocked back on his heels and crossed his arms over his chest. “And you don’t know how Louella got poisoned, even though you were standing right next to her.”

  “No. I didn’t see or hear anything. Does the poison act right away, or does it take time?”

  “Right away. Which means she must’ve ingested it when she was with you… something in your shop, perhaps?”

  “I don’t have anything poisonous in the shop.” The conversation was getting confusing. The FBPI wouldn’t be here if they didn’t suspect Louella’s death to be paranormal. Why was Stan asking about poisoning? Maybe he was just playing the game in case she was not a paranormal. Which meant he didn’t know for sure. That was good.

  “Is that all?” Issy asked. She wanted to get rid of them as soon as possible so she could get to Hans’s place and retrieve Mortimer. “You’re not going to arrest me or anything, are you?”